Week of Awareness about the importance of folic acid

Abstract

In the first week of October, the Associação Brasileira de Epilepsia (ABE) celebrated the Week of Awareness of the importance of folic acid. On this occasion, representatives of the ABE were present in Women's Outpatient Clinics such as Gynecology, Epilepsy Clinic and that of the Woman's Home giving information to women about the importance of maintaining adequate levels of this vitamin in the organism. It was especially emphasized for those who were taking antiepileptic drugs as well as those who were pregnant or planning pregnancy. At that time, a brief questionnaire was applied regarding the information they had about this necessity. A booklet containing information regarding the importance of folic acid and wristbands as tokens of the commemoration were distributed. Besides this, a survey was done related to the observation of the Federal Law of December 13, 2002, which enforced the strengthening of wheat and corn flour and their derivatives with iron and folic acid.